Assessment support session
MAR 31st 2023
WEEK 8
- criteria summary
- project work checklist
- site maintenance & backup
criteria summary
The brief
- to create a site which aims to help
- to produce and edit appropriate content for online consumption
- to deliver a website designed for a select target group
- to ensure that the site performs well
[accessibility / loading speed / responsive design] - to submit a project document, including site plan and rationale
The criteria
- evident site purpose for common good
- well structured content, easy to accesss
- all text is well written and free of errors
- content designed for target audience, phrasing reflects suitable tone
- media content is accessible (e.g. alternative text for images)
- any quoted/sourced content is clearly referenced/linked
- pages load fast and with full content
- layout, including all media, adapts to different viewport widths
Deliverables
REMINDERS: content
re: content text
- all content is unique and original
(i.e. not a translated/transcribed version of someone else's publication) - all content written and edited by you
(small parts of the content can be quoted from external sources but your own original content must outweigh their proportion in each post/page substantially)
TIP: a good post starts with a short introductory paragraph, followed by the main copy and media.
re: sourced content
- confirm the permission of use, either via open license or under certain conditions
- always cite the appropriate references for all quoted sources
- provide references and links as required by the license of the material used
re: legal concerns
→ view GDRP plugins
REMINDERS: media
re: images
- visual content in context with topic
(i.e. not a translated/transcribed version of someone else's publication) - optimised for web specifically
(small parts of the content can be quoted from external sources but your own original content must outweigh their proportion in each post/page substantially)
TIP: photos are best saved as JPG (not PNG) for smaller file size = faster loading.
security
-
Jetpack:
Akismet, traffic monitor -
Sucuri Security:
Audit, Malware Scan, Security Hardening -
Wordfence Security:
Firewall, Scan, Block, Security
notes
- don't rush! Try & test. Check license.
- explore options, read reviews - ask questions
- check for fallbacks: activate + test with JS disabled
- check on customisation options for your purposes
performance
- GTmetrix for WordPress:
analysis, monitoring - Plugin Performance Profiler:
check loading/performance - Theme check:
check for compliance with theme guidelines - W3 Total Cache:
integrated caching
notes
- consider all published content and all connected setups
- backup regularly & store safely
- check backups & know your restore procedure
- include third party services in your backup process
links
- UpdraftPlus (WP plugin)
- ManageWP (service)
- BackWPup (WP plugin)
- How to Backup Your WordPress Site (article)
NOTE: this a super-quick fly-by demo with no audio; it is intended to be paused as needed (hit SPACE bar or use controls).
Backing up / restoring with Updraft plugin
Complete & publish your content
Now is the time to get your crafted content into place and finalise the website's content. Keep in mind all the aspects we discussed and try to get some feedback from others if you can. Don't assume that your own logic will make sense to everyone else :) Always best to get a second opinion and then adapt following any feedback.
Finalise the design
Your chosen theme is likely already configured by now ~ I'd still recommend that you take some time to check on all your pages and posts, the settings and remove any unused plugins or themes. Check on your backups and make sure you're covered and test your site on different devices if you can, like your laptop and your mobile.
to-do list
-
ensure good structure
check whether your content is organised well and presented clearly via links in your menu and text; remember you are likely going to have 1-2 pages only, the rest of your content is best published as posts, assigned to categories. -
check legalities
check that you meet the GDPR requirements, test your cookie consent pop up (you might need to clear your cache or use a different browser for this); ensure the policy link is set to go to your policy page. -
check referencing
are your references and credits for externally sourced content clearly presented and easy to find?